Brake



Jan. 2, l940. R A. GOEPFRlCH 2,185,434

BRAKE Filed Jan. 15, 19s? 4 sheets-sheet 2 6i'7 64 //6 /ll l '7, Z2 /6Illllmplmm V /V w Immun" INVENTOR ATTORNEY M M 9 HLW. R. A. GOEPFRICHBRAKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jag. 15, 1937 A Ww/m INVENTOR ATTORN EYatentedl Jan. 2, 1940 t l UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE l BRAKEApplication January 15, 1937, Serial No. 120,651

Claims.

This invention relatesto brakes, and is illustrated as embodied in aninternal expanding brake for an automobile.. An object of the inventionis to provide a simple and rugged adjustable floating connection for theshoes of such a brake.

In the arrangements illustrated, the shoes are connected by floatingmeans including a bracket movably mounted on the brake backing platebetween the ends of the shoes. l The bracket' carries a pair of plungersarranged end 'to end and engaging the shoes at their outer ends, and anadjuster ,arranged transversely of the plungers and operable fromoutside the backing plate to force the plungers apart to adjust for wearon the shoes. f

Another feature of the invention relates to providing theabove-described connection with yielding centering means.

The above and other objects and features of the invention, includingvarious novel combinations and desirable particular arrangements, willbe dill apparent from the following description of the illustrative4embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which.:

Figure 1 isa vertical section through the brake, just inside the headvof the brake drum, showing the shoes of the brake in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a partial section-through the brakeapplying means, on theline 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial section through the adjustable shoe-connectingmeans, on the lined-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a partial'section -corresponding to part of Figure 1, butshowing a different brake-r applying means; l

Figures 5 and 6 are partial sections through the brake-applying means ofFigure 4, on the lines 5 5 and 6 5 of Figure 4 respectively;

Figure '7 is a partial section, corresponding to part of Figure 1, butshowing a diierent brakeapplying means;

Figures 8 and 9 are partial sections corresponding to part of Figure 1,but showing two different centering means' acting on the connectionbetween the shoes;

Figure 10 is a partial section on the line |0-lil of Figure 9;

Figures 11 and 12 are partial sections corresponding to Figure 3, butshowing different adjusters for the shoe-connecting means;

Figure 13 is a partial section corresponding to Figures 8 and 9, butshowing a different centering means; and

(Cl. 18S-79.5)

Figure 14 is a partial section on the line l4--l4 of Figure 13.

The brake illustrated in Figure 1 includes a rotatable Vdrum I6, at theopen side of which is a support such as a backing plate I8, and withinwhich are arranged brake shoes 20 and 22 between the ends of which atone side of the brake is arranged an anchor or post 24 carried by thebacking plate I8.

The brake is provided with return springs 26 m and 28 tensioned betweenthe anchor 24 and the respective shoes, whichever one of these springsis connected to the secondary shoe is stronger than the one connected tothe primary shoe. There is also shown a spring 30 tensioned bel5 tweenthe shoes, and holding them against the adjustable connection describedbelow. Suitable steady rests. 32 and adjustable shoe-positioning stops34 may be provided.

The brake may be applied by means such as a 20 oating lever 36, cut awayat 38 to clear the anchor 24 and provided with thrust lugs 40 projectingbetween the ends of the shoe webs on opposite sides of the anchor. Thislever is shown with an extension 42 connected to a lever-re- 25 turningspring 44.

The lever 36 has a lateral lug V46 engaged by "the edge of an operatinglever 43, pivoted on the -anchor 2d and actuated by the cable 50 of aBowden type control. The levers 36 and 48 swing so parallel to thebacking plate in the space between the backing plate and the shoe 22.

The shoes 20 and 22, at the side of the brake opposite the anchor 24,are connected by an adjustable floating connection. This connectionincludes a bracket 52 having a boss 54 iioating with the shoes in anopening in the backing plate (and preferably closed by `a boot 56). Thisbracket is formed with aligned passages for plungers 58 slotted at theirouter ends to embrace 40 the ends of the webs of the shoes 2li and 22.

' The boss 54 has threaded therethrough the stem 60 of a conical wedge`62 which engages-the beveled adjacent inner ends of the plungers 58, andwhich is operated by turning the stem 60 to 45 force the plungers 58apart to adjust the brake for wear of the lining. The wedge 62 may befluted for yieldingly interlocking with the plung ers 58. The opening inthe bracket 52 through which the wedge 62 is inserted may be closed by50 a stamping or the like 64. Y

In the brake of Figures 4-6, the cable Ell of the Bowden control isconnectedvto a lever 66 fulcrumed on the backing plate and having at itsend a socket receiving the ball end of a thrust wedge 68 having apear-shaped opening 'I0 for the anchor 24, and engaging rollers 12mounted between the shoe webs and plates 14 welded thereto. Thearrangement in Figure 7 is the same as that in Figure 4, except that inFigure 7 there is a single return` spring |26, while in Figure 4 thereare two springs 26 and 28, differing in strength, connected to a postcarried by the backing plate.

Figure 8 illustrates the boss 54 of the abovedescribed bracket 52embraced between leaf springs 18 secured to the opposite sides of aU-shaped bracket adjustably bolted to the backing plate. The springs 18serve to center the shoes when the brake is released.

In Figures 9 and 10, in place of the centering springs 18 there is asingle coil spring 82 tensioned between levers 84 pivoted on the backingplate and embracing the boss 54 between them. A block 86, adjustablybolted to the backing plate between the levers 84, prevents movement ofone or the other of the levers when the brake is applied, while at thesame time the boss 54 swings the other lever 84 away from the block 86to stretch the spring 82. A spring-held plate 55 serves as a cover forthe opening in the backing plate through which the boss 54 passes.

In the arrangement of Figure l1, the bracket 52 is guided by bolts 90passing through slots in the backing plate, and the threaded stem |60has a head formed with radial teeth yieldingly interlocking withcorresponding grooves in a washer 92 which has a transverse rib or keyreceived in a corresponding groove or keyway in the base of a block 94carrying an integral Wedge |62 engaging the beveled ends of the plungers58.

If desired, bolts may be arranged to clamp the bracket 52 againstsluiting, the shifting of block 94 being looked to for allowing servoaction of the one shoe on -the other.

A spring 96 received in a socket formed in the stem |60 acts on abeveled centering plunger 91 yieldingly seated in a V-shaped notch inthe base of the block 94; this construction is more particularly usefulif the bracket 52 is locked in place by tightening up the bolts 90.

The wedge |62 preferably has its faces inclined at diierent angles, asthe two shoes do not wear equally in a brake of this type.

i The arrangement of Figure 12 is the same as that in Figure 11, exceptthat the spring 96 is dispensed with.

Figures 13 and 14 show a centering lever 98 centrally fulcrumed on theboss 54, and having inwardly and outwardly extending arms |00 and |02engaging stops |04 and |06 carried by the backing plate. The lever has athird arm |08 extending alongside the shoe 22 and acted on by a spring||0 connected to the backing plate. A plate |55 mounted on the boss 54serves as a cover for' the opening in the backing plate through whichthe boss 54 passes.

While several embodiments have been described in detail, it is not myintention to limit the scope of the invention to those particularembodiments, vor otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

1. A shiftable anchorage type brake comprising a backing platecarrying-a pair of shoes provided with a oating connection between theirends, said connection including a bracket movably mounted on the backingplate between the ends of the shoes, a pair of plungers arranged end toend in saidl bracket and having their outer endsl engaging the ends ofthe shoes, and an adjuster mounted in said bracket transversely of saidplungers and which is operable from outside the backingV plate to forcesaid plungers apart, in combination with centering means mounted on thebacking plate and acting on said bracket.

2. A shiftable anchorage type brake comprising a backing plate carryinga pair of shoes provided with a floating connection between their ends,said connection including a bracket movably mounted on the backing platebetween the ends of the shoes, a pair of plungers arranged end to end insaid bracket and having their outer ends engaging the ends of the shoes,and an adjuster mounted in said bracket transversely of said plungersand which is operable from outside the backing plate to force saidplungers apart, in combination with a pair of yielding centering leversmounted on the backing plate and embracing said bracket between them.

3. A shiftable anchorage type brake comprising a backing plate carryinga pair of shoes provided with a. floating connection between their ends,

. in combination with a centering lever centrally fulcrumed on thebracket and having arms projecting respectively inwardly and outwardlyfrom the bracket, stops on the backing plate and respectively in thepaths of the arms of said lever in forward and reverse braking, and aspring urging vsaid arms against said stops to center the shoes when thebrake is released.

4. A brake shoe connector comprising a mem-- i ber disposed betweenadjacent shoe ends, a statlonary support for said member and in whichthe member is movable in a direction parallel with the shoes, means forguiding said member in its movement, shafts slidably mounted in saidmember in axial relation and connected to the shoe ends, a cone screwcarried by the member and extending through the support, a cone carriedby said cone screw and cooperating with the inner ends of the shafts',an adjustable spring anchor carried by the support, and spring meanscarried by the spring anchor and cooperating with the member fornormally returning the same to adjusted position following a brakingoperation.

5. A device as set forthin claim 4 wherein the cone is recessed and theinner ends of the shafts are provided with tapered portions receivedwithin the recesses of thev cone. f

RUDOLPH A. GOEPFRICH.

